Hereinafter in the specification and claims the terms ‘weaving’ or ‘wickerwork’ are used to define any form of interlacing (in and out weaving) of any type of wicker—natural or artificial.
The term ‘wicker’ is used to denote any sort of fiber useful in wickerwork, e.g., rattan, willow, reed, bamboo, or any real or artificial osier, etc.
Wickerwork/weaving is often associated with the process of interlacing, at right angles, two or more series of flexible materials, of which the longitudinal are called warp and the transverse weft, (warp is the set of lengthwise tensioned yarns/strands through which the weft is undulating woven). However, right angles are not mandatory.
The use of wicker strips/yarns/strands in the manufacture of furniture and other domestic articles is ever-growing. However, household objects made of natural wicker are not suitable for outdoor usage because the wicker strips are of poor resistance and will easily and rapidly damage after exposure to water and dampness and will get rotten or moldy, whereas exposure to heat will cause the wicker to easily break.
Thus, it is common practice to apply protective coating to the natural wicker, e.g., lacquers, different oils, etc. Even more so, wickerwork articles intended to bear loads, such as furniture, require a rigid frame and reinforcement, since these natural materials are not sufficiently strong to bear fairly great weight.
Yet another problem regarding natural wicker is concerned with the labor required for its processing and the time required for wickerwork. However, as natural-style furniture becomes increasingly popular in the west, the natural material is scarce since it grows only in Eastern countries. This results in increase of price of the natural wicker strip and wickerwork, owing to source shortage.
In order to avoid using natural wicker, it has become common in recent years to use artificial wicker in the form of rattan/willow-like material typically made of extruded plastic material. The artificial material is of increased durability and substantially cheaper than the natural material, once extruded in slender form, is used for wickerwork instead of the natural material.
Several patents refer to manufacture and forming of artificial wicker, resembling in its appearance that of the natural wicker.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,059,668 is concerned with a machine for the production of crates or baskets made from two sets of strips of wood which the sets are pliated or interwoven so as to result in a basket.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,834 relates to the production of tubular articles, made from synthetic thermoplastic materials, which resemble wood, rattan, bamboo, cane, reed, wicker, reed, rush, and similar natural materials, and also to the production of furniture, structures, and every kind of ornament in general employing thermoplastic materials which replace the natural materials mentioned above, coloring and veining such thermoplastic materials, and also joining and securing by means of ties made from rigid, semi-rigid or plastified polyvinyl the natural and artificial materials above mentioned, for the purpose of assembling furniture and structures in general.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,958 is concerned with a composite material for the manufacture of seats, seat backs and like objects receives a decorative fabric on one side, the other side cooperating with the frame or stuffing of the seat. The composite material is woven and includes a metal armature with warp threads and weft wires. The weft wires are steel rods bent to a shape having regular undulations and disposed so that the undulations are parallel and coplanar. The warp threads are interwoven with the rods, at least part of the armature being embedded in an elastomer.
WO 02067727 discloses a cane-plaiting panel, especially for seats, chairs and armchairs, and to a corresponding role of cane-plaited material. The cane-plaited panel, especially designed for the base of seats, chairs or armchairs is of a type which includes filiform strips, made of cane or peeled ratan reeds for example, which are interlaced according to a pattern of chains and wefts, in addition to strips which are disposed in a diagonal position in relation to the chains and wefts. The invention is characterized in that it contains fine, highly resistant filiform elements which are interlaced with said strips in a chain, weft and diagonal form.